It’s been my take for some time now that the ego gets a really bad rap in the journey of spiritual awakening. It’s almost as if we’ve traded in the devil, or Satan, for it. Everyone wants to blame the ego, condemn it, and ultimately get rid of it.

In his book, “Discovering the Signature of Your Soul,” Panache Desai tells us, “Seemingly, ego allows the illusion of separateness in order to really enjoy the pleasures of being human, because we have to have one polarity in order to experience the other. When your ego is in alignment, it becomes your trusted ally with which to move forward.”

I like the idea of befriending the ego. I’ve always believed it had a divine purpose when seen and used rightly.

For 15 years I was the happy “papa” of an 80-pound black lab named Spirit. I told people that, as a dog, she was the best. If, however, I was to ask her to balance my checkbook or drive my car, she would have been a miserable failure. A dog is a dog, and I wouldn’t ask a dog to do what a human is designed to accomplish.

So it is with the ego. Speaking as the ego, Panache says, “I am a raw power that can, when harnessed for the good, do anything. But you haven’t learned to tap into me yet. You don’t need to tame me or whip me into spiritual submission. No. My challenge to you is to accept and own who you are. In that journey, I am your best ally.”

Let’s take the ego out of the driver’s seat of our car and succeed it with our divine nature at the helm. Let’s realize what the ego does well and not ask it to accomplish what it’s not designed to do – lead our lives single-handedly. Let’s realize it’s something that we have -- to use -- but not the entirety of our identity.

Panache goes on as the ego’s voice, “I am the one who allows you to pick up the phone and ask your boss for a raise. I am there when you muster the courage to ask someone out on a date. I help you get down on your knee and propose to your beloved.”

My suggestion? While we are mastering the art of loving and appreciating ourselves, let’s remember to include our ego in the process.

I hope to see you on the evening of Saturday, April 9, at Unity on the Bay. Let’s spend a wonderful evening making peace with our ego, discovering our soul signature, and being blessed by a visit from a spiritual giant … Panache Desai! Buy your ticket here.